Dedicated to the interlocking processes of reading and writing, this book contains carefully chosen literary selections, and each chapter contains detailed information on and sample essays for writing about literature.

Features of the fifth edition include strengthened introductions to literary topics and fresh, new selections. The new edition also places greater emphasis on research writing and on critical approaches to literature.

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From the Publisher:

Unique in providing information on and sample essays for writing about literature in every chapter, this bestselling text/anthology provides the tools and insights necessary for students to read literature with care, understanding, and enjoyment, and to write about it with skill and conviction. It is both a comprehensive anthology of fiction, poetry, and drama and a text emphasizing the close connection between good reading and effective writing. The fourth edition reaffirms the principle of flexible classroom use to which the book is dedicated.